Multiple Animation In PowerPoint 2010 – Zoom, Grow & Shrink, Fade

A good example of this quote is perhaps PowerPoint. As many of you will agree, the best thing about PowerPoint is that it appeals in equal measure to both a beginner and an old hand.

Animation in PowerPoint is one aspect that fascinates many and I’m not an exception to admit that it is one of fodders that keep me engaged for long hours. PowerPoint enthusiasts will any day vouch for almost endless novelty and creativity that one can come up with it.

From mundane slide show to singularly striking animation in PowerPoint – you have seen them all. Depending upon what your need is you would have used one or the other animation for your PowerPoint presentation cum video.

Take a look at the following image (click to see the full size) showing the setting up of animation in PowerPoint 2010.

Setting up of animation in PowerPoint 2010

In this video article we will see a simple example where multiple animations – zoom, grow & shrink, shrink & turn, grow & turn, and fade – have been used. You’ll notice that once you are able to convert the animation in PowerPoint to video, it not only looks impressive but also resembles a flash video.

I’ve used the beta version of PowerPoint 2010 for this example. However the same techniques apply if you are to work with PowerPoint 2007. By the way, PowerPoint 2010 beta is now available free for evaluation, and if you are a PowerPoint user, don’t hesitate to find out how the new and improved features can help you.

Steps to create the animation in PowerPoint

The 5 elements here that are animated are as under in order of their appearance:

Rectangular background gradient image

The text ‘Money’

The ‘Arrow’ symbol

The text ‘Power’

Text ‘Money, symbol ‘Arrow, text ‘Power’

The 5th text ‘MoneyPower’

Let me describe the steps one by one in the same order as above.

Rectangular background gradient image

This will converge on a blank canvas, so the entrance animation of ‘Shape’ is selected for it. The duration of the animation is 0.75 seconds, and is immediately followed by the appearance of the text ‘Money’.

Click on the background image to select it. The square and round handles indicate that the chosen element is selected.

Click on Animations menu at the top and then select ‘Shape’ as the Entrance effect (green color).

From the dropdown Effect Options you may further select the direction and shape of the ‘Shape’ entrance effect.

Click on the Animation Pane on the ribbon to bring the pane to the right. Now, keeping the animation selected (indicated by a grey rectangular boundary), make the duration of the animation as 0.75 seconds. Let there be no ‘Delay’ in the animation while making it start ‘With Previous’.

Text ‘Money’

This text will have 2 animations to it running together. They are ‘Shrink’ and ‘Fade’.

Click to select the text. Click on ‘Animations’ and then ‘Fade’ entrance effect.

In the Effect Options, select either ‘As One Object’ or ‘All at Once’.

Selecting the text in the Animation Pane make the duration of animation as 0.50 seconds and to start After Previous with no Delay.

To add the second animation, click Animations > Grow/Shrink. In the dropdown Effect Options, chose ‘Both’ for Direction, ‘Smaller’ for Amount, and ‘All at Once’ for Sequence.

Chose the animation to start With Previous with no Delay and with Duration of 0.50 seconds.

‘Arrow’ Symbol

This one is a bit tricky. We want the arrow to zoom and then shrink immediately.

Make the arrow sufficiently large so that after the Shrink effect it does not look too small. Select it and click on Animations > Zoom (Entrance Effect).

Make the animation to start After Previous and having duration of 0.50 seconds with no delay.

Click ‘Add Animation’ for the second animation and from the choice of animations therein, select Grow/Shrink.

In the ‘Effect Options’ dropdown chose ‘Both’ for Direction, and ‘Tiny’ or ‘Smaller’ for Amount depending on how much you want the arrow to shrink.

The Shrink animation will start After Previous and will have the same duration of 0.50 seconds with no Delay.

Text ‘Power’

This animation is relatively easy. It will zoom in like the first animation of the arrow symbol above. The animation will start After Previous, last for 0.50 seconds with no Delay.

Text ‘Money, symbol ‘Arrow, text ‘Power’

The 3 elements are made to disappear by ‘Shrink & Turn’ animation. All 3 disappear at the same time in 0.50 seconds After Previous and after a Delay of 1.50 seconds.

Select the text ‘Power’. Click on Animations > Shrink & Turn.

Make it to occur After Previous with a Delay of 1.50 seconds, the animation to have 0.50 Duration.

Select the symbol ‘Arrow’ and repeat the same step as in (2) above, except that it will occur With Previous.

Select text ‘Power’ and repeat the step (3).

Text ‘MoneyPower’

This is the last element in this series of animation in PowerPoint. We will make it to Grow & Turn as it appears which is just the opposite of the disappearance of the 3 elements – text ‘Money, symbol ‘Arrow, text ‘Power’ – above.

Go ahead and do it and ensure that the animation occurs With Previous for the same Duration.

Okay, we come to the end of this article. Hope this helps the PowerPoint users, especially the beginners. In future articles we will look at more types of animation in PowerPoint. Do give your opinion below about the article and if it has been helpful.

You are welcome to share your own tips and tricks for making more stunning animations in PowerPoint.

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